


Dear Steve's Roommate

by arielf17



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alley fight, First Aid, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, POV Sam Wilson, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, but you only see the morning after. technically., guest starring bruce and riley as Off Screen Unnamed Boyfriends, no beta readers we die like men, they are not each other's boyfriends, they are thor and sam's boyfriends respectively, thor is there for like a second for a crocodile dundee reference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 11:40:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18590539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arielf17/pseuds/arielf17
Summary: Sam Wilson returns after a weekend at his boyfriend's to discover a note taped to the coffee maker addressed to Steve's Roommate. He could let Steve's business be and not ask about the mysterious J.Or...





	Dear Steve's Roommate

Sam found the note on the coffeemaker when he got back to his apartment that morning. It was addressed to _Steve’s Roommate_. Sam picked up the note and unfolded it. He had no idea what to expect. After all, Steve was still asleep, and it was almost 8. He was usually back from his run by 7:30. What the hell had happened while Sam had been away at Riley’s for the weekend?

_Dear Steve’s Roommate,_

_Thought I’d play it safe and leave a note for you as well, in case Steve is a fitful sleeper. I left a note for him, although I taped it to his chest. It may have migrated during the night. If it has, he should be able to find it._

_You’re probably wondering who the hell I am, what the hell happened while you were over at your boyfriend’s, and how the hell do I know that anyway. Well, the answers to those questions are nobody special, I don’t kiss and tell, and Steve._

_Have a nice day,_

_J_

Sam was more confused after than reading the note than he had been before he even picked it up. If it were anyone else, Sam would assume that Steve’d had an oddly considerate one night stand, but it was _Steve._ Then again, what other explanation was there?

Sam tucked the note into his pocket, made his coffee, then sat there on the sofa waiting for Steve to wake up. All in all, he was only waiting about 15 minutes. Steve came bursting out of the bedroom like he smelled smoke. He was wearing a white t-shirt and boxers, and Sam recognized the cardinal signs that his best friend had been in a fight the previous evening, but that wasn’t a strange occurrence. What was strange was that he looked almost disappointed to see Sam.

“Expecting someone else?” asked Sam, fully intending to have a little fun at his best friend’s expense.

“‘Course not,” said Steve, walking over to the kitchen counter to get himself some coffee.

“You do anything fun this weekend?” asked Sam.

“That’s not exactly the word I’d use,” grumbled Steve.

Sam briefly considered telling Steve about the note he’d found, but decided to save it. He could still suck some fun out of the situation.

“Sounds like there’s a story there,” said Sam.

Steve shrugged, then sat down on the couch next to Sam. He sucked down half his coffee unceremoniously.

“Read anything fun recently?” asked Sam.

Steve looked at Sam like he’d just asked him if he wanted to donate a kidney.

“No. Why?”

“I read something this morning,” continued Sam, “seems someone called J taped a note to your chest and notified me in case it fell off while you were asleep.”

Steve’s eyes widened. He set down the coffee cup calmly before bolting into his bedroom. Sam followed behind, calmly nursing his coffee and eager to see how the whole situation played out. Steve rustled around his bedroom for a few minutes before finding J’s note, seemingly oblivious to Sam’s presence. 

Steve collapsed onto his bed as he read the note. Sam sat down next to him and read over his shoulder. Steve didn’t notice, he was too engrossed. So was Sam, but for a completely and entirely different reason.

_Dear Steve,_

_I hope you got a good night’s sleep. Your cuts and bruises weren’t too bad in the grand scheme of things, but I could tell you were shaken up. And don’t even think some cheesy line about that fight: I saw the other guy, pal, and he was better off._

_Thanks for letting me take care of you. I liked that I was able to do that for you, it really means a lot that you trusted me. It sounds silly, since I know you were in a million fights before you met me and you’ll be in a million more by the time you’ve forgotten about me, but I liked being able to do that for you, make the next time not seem so bad. The first aid was nice too._

_I would’ve stayed this morning, but I’m not the type of person guys normally want to stick around for breakfast. I ain’t got skeletons in my closet, but I ain’t got roses. I trust you Stevie, honest, but I don’t let people hurt me anymore, and I don’t let myself hurt them. I hope you understand._

_You’re a real ray of sunshine, and even if you wanted me to, I’m not gonna bring you down. Glad you got to see me at my best. Few people do, if you wanna feel flattered by that or anything. Not to get even more sentimental, but I’m sure I’ll always remember you._

_Surprisingly yours,_

_Bucky_

“Who the hell is Bucky?” asked Sam.

Steve snapped his attention towards Sam.

“It’s a valid question. My note is signed J and yours is signed Bucky.”

“It’s a nickname he got growing up,” said Steve.

He sounded sad. Sam would’ve wanted to kick Bucky into the middle of next week if he hadn’t been so damn considerate about the whole thing. Sam patted Steve on the back, noticing that Steve hadn’t scolded him for reading over his shoulder.

“I know we don’t normally talk about this kind of stuff,” said Sam, “but you can talk to me about this. If you want.”

Steve nodded. He set Bucky’s note down on his bedside table and crossed his legs. He took a deep breath.

“I got in a fight outside Nat’s. Bucky happened to see the guy leaving the alleyway and went back there to make sure that nothing sketchy was going back there, and he instead finds me.”

“Real meet cute,” deadpanned Sam.

“Well, he wanted to make sure I hadn’t been robbed and that I was okay to get home. I explained that it was just your standard garden variety bar alleyway fistfight-”

Sam snorted.

“-and that I was fine, and that I had a first aid kit at my apartment. He offered to help me out anyway.”

“So...you two came back here?”

Steve nodded.

“He patched me up, and then...we talked.”

“About what?” asked Sam.

Steve smiled.

“Pick something. We talked about our parents, about growing up in Brooklyn, about the fight, about why he offered to help me. He told me that he saw the other guy and he looked like a douchebag. And he told me that...he helps people. It’s what he does. I ended up talking about art, and those nightmares I used to have, and how I sometimes don’t sleep too good after a fight.”

“Sounds like you guys had a connection,” said Sam, wondering why the hell he was even talking Steve about it.

“He’s so sweet, Sam, but I didn’t expect him to be here when I woke up. He’s too like me. Rough around the edges, so people don’t always see the soft spots, or even know that they’re there. I was halfway to making a move when he…”

“What?” asked Sam, so sure he knew what Bucky had said next.

“He said he had an idea, and that I could say no, but he’d gladly calm me down before I went to sleep if I didn’t mind him taking care of me for a little while longer.”

“And that idea was sex?” asked Sam.

It wasn’t quite what Sam expected, but it ended in the same place. Steve blushed.

“He was...really caring. I’d never been with anyone like that before. Can’t tell if that’s just how he is, or if it was the two of us.”

Sam had never seen Steve that worked up about anyone. Even though Steve said he was sure Bucky would be gone by the morning, Sam could tell he had desperately wanted to be proven wrong.

“He did say he’d always remember you,” said Sam.

He put an arm around Steve and patted his shoulder, not daring to speak beyond that. Sam had a plan. He was going to track down Bucky and give him a piece of his mind.

#

Sam knew it was a bad idea even as he walked into Nat’s bar. Luckily, there were only a few people there given it was fairly early in the evening.

“Hey Nat,” said Sam.

“What’s going on, Wilson?” she asked.

“I’m looking for someone,” said Sam, “his name’s Bucky.”

Natasha jokingly brandished a paring knife at him, catching the attention of a blond guy with the physique of a wrestler and the alcohol tolerance of a sixth grader.

“Now, where’d you hear a name like that, Wilson?” asked Natasha.

“Put the knife down, and I’ll explain,” laughed Sam.

“That’s not a knife,” slurred the big guy, pulling a machete out of his jacket and setting it down on the bar, “that’s a knife.”

“Alright Thor,” said Natasha, “you’re getting too Australian, I’m cutting you off.”

Thor grunted his dissent.

“Don’t make me call your boyfriend,” said Natasha.

“He’s so smart,” crooned Thor.

“I know, buddy,” said Natasha.

“I love him so much.”

“I know, buddy.”

Thor tucked his knife back into his jacket and ambled out of the bar. Sam wrote off the interaction, filed under Shit that Probably Didn’t Happen.

“James is an old friend,” said Natasha, “he moved back to town a few weeks ago and I insisted that he move in with me. He’s been mopey all day though, not sure what’s got into him.”

“Steve,” said Sam.

Natasha raised an eyebrow at him.

“Or he got into Steve, I don’t know, I wasn’t there,” continued Sam, before he could remember that he was an adult with a mostly functioning brain to mouth filter.

Natasha winced.

“I just wanna talk to him,” said Sam.

“Like ‘hey man let’s have an adult conversation’ talk or ‘meet me at 2am in the Denny’s car park’ talk?”

“Adult conversation, Nat, come on,” said Sam, all the while reminding himself that the civility of their conversation was entirely up to Bucky.

After Natasha’s shift, she took Sam to her apartment, where Bucky was staying. The apartment itself was as insanely tidy as Sam expected. What Sam didn’t expect was who he assumed was Bucky, the guy sitting on her couch. Sam shot Nat a questioning look. She nodded.

Bucky had dark brown hair and pale blue eyes. He was reading a dusty old book, and Sam would’ve found him handsome if he weren’t busy trying to figure out whether or not he should be mad. The man noticed him and Nat standing there, and took off his glasses. He tucked them into the collar of his t-shirt and sat the book on the counter.

“Who’s your friend?” he asked.

“This is Sam,” said Natasha, “yell for me if he tries to murder you. I’ll be in my room.”

Natasha walked away, and Bucky chuckled, clearly unfazed by Natasha’s advice.

“Now, what would you want to kill me for?” asked Bucky.

Sam sat down on the couch next to Bucky and took a deep breath. He pulled the note out of his pocket and handed it to Bucky. Bucky sucked in a harsh breath when he unfolded the note. He didn’t let it out for almost 15 seconds.

“Do you really care about him?” asked Sam.

Bucky put the note down on the counter and tugged his knees to his chest.

“Yes.”

“Then why’d you leave?” asked Sam.

“I’ve got bad luck,” said Bucky, “so when something seems too good to be true, I assume that it isn’t.”

“He sees you, Bucky. You should talk to him.”

“Why are you doing this, Sam?” asked Bucky.

“Because this morning, I sat down with my roommate and he talked to me about a guy for the first time in 16 years. That’s a fun story. I just want it to have a happy ending.”

“I do too,” said Bucky, “of course I do. I just don’t want Steve to waste any time trying to reassure me. ‘Cause I’ll believe him, eventually, but he shouldn’t have to do that. Not for me.”

“You have such a complex about your own insecurities, I’m beginning to think you and Steve may actually be soulmates,” sighed Sam.

Sam stood up and gestured towards the door.

“C’mon, J,” continued Sam, “you gotta let him put in the hours. Ten bucks says he’ll let you do the same.”

Bucky stood up, and took a deep breath. He unhooked his glasses from his shirt and set them down on the counter. Sam drove them back to his apartment. When they arrived, Steve was sitting on the sofa. He stood up when he say Bucky.

“Buck,” he said.

“Hey,” said Bucky, “can we talk?”

Steve nodded. The two of them went into Steve’s room and Sam went to his, content. He’d done his part. He just hoped it’d been worth it.  

A little while later, someone slid a ten dollar bill under Sam’s bedroom door.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading my thing!!! and for momentarily forgetting about the fact that coincidences do not often happen and how normal people act and that australian people don't really quote crocodile dundee while pissed
> 
> <3


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